The invention relates to a weed cutter and more particularly to a weed cutter having a housing with a dependent skirt capable of shielding an internally rotating cutter element permitting the weed cutter to operate in very close proximity to buildings, foundations, fences, trees and other obstacles with maximum cutting efficiency and simultaneously avoiding contact between the cutter element and the obstacles. The weed cutter also includes an air diverter vane which creates a vacuum within the housing thereby causing weeds and grass to be drawn into the cutting area of the weed cutter prior to being cut.
Weed cutters or trimmers are typically used to cut grass or weeds in areas where conventional lawn mowers cannot be used. These areas may be near buildings, fences, or in flower or vegetable gardens where a conventional mower has a cutting width larger than the garden rows or cannot get close enough to the buildings or fences.
Weed cutters cause debris to be randomly propelled into the air. As a result, the operator of the weed cutter may be struck by flying debris such as weeds, grass, dirt, and the like.
The cutter element of the weed cutter can also undesirably impact obstacles such as buildings, fences, trees, and the like resulting in damage to the structure or the weed cutter. Plants such as flowers and the like may also be mistakenly damaged or cut off.
An object of the present invention is to produce a weed cutter which militates against the accidental cutting of flowers and the like.
Another object of the invention is to produce a weed cutter which is capable of operating in close proximity to flowers, trees, buildings and other obstacles without accidentally contacting the obstacles.
Still another object of the invention is to produce a weed cutter capable of creating a vacuum causing the material being cut to be moved or directed toward the cutter element prior to being actually cut.
Another object of the invention is to produce a weed cutter wherein any flying debris propelled by the weed cutter is directed away from the operator.
The above, as well as other objects of the invention, may be readily achieved by a weed cutter having: a cutter element; an air impeller; a rotatable shaft, the cutter element and the air impeller mounted on the shaft; and a protective housing including a top panel having a generally V-shaped slot formed at the periphery thereof and an opening for receiving the shaft, an air diverter depending from the top panel of the housing adjacent the V-shaped slot, and a skirt depending from the top panel and generally defining the annular movement of the cutter element, the skirt having an intake opening in general registry with the V-shaped slot and a spaced apart exhaust opening.